With a slew of
big-ticket bond projects already well along in the pipeline, the Chesterton
Park Board has turned its attention to two new ones: improvements at the
pocket parks of Waskom, in the Duneland Cove subdivision; and Kipper, in the
Westchester South subdivision.

At the board’s
meeting Tuesday night, Town Engineer Mark O’Dell reported that he and Town
Attorney Chuck Lukmann are currently finalizing a contract with DLZ to
design the improvements: a new playground, shelter, basketball and tennis
courts, and sidewalk at Waskom; and a new playground and garden area at
Kipper.

Total estimated
cost of the Waskom project, $310,000; of the Kipper, $200,000.

O’Dell said that
he’s hopeful the designs will be ready to go out to bid in April, with
construction beginning this summer.

Project Update

A summary of the
bond projects both in the pipeline and currently just on paper:

¥New playground
equipment has been purchased and delivered for installation at Dogwood Park
($182,109), Chesterton Park ($23,596), and Old Towne Park ($37,201). The
actual installation, however, is in each case a separate line item and
O’Dell is right now preparing bid specs for the work.

¥A splash pad has
been purchased and delivered for installation at Chesterton Park, south of
the tennis courts. ($104,686). The installation of the pad is likewise a
separate line item (estimated cost $200,000) and O’Dell is working on bid
specs.

¥A new modular
restroom facility has been purchased to replace the existing one at Dogwood
Park ($138,140). The manufacturer, Concrete Modular Systems Inc. of St.
Petersburg, Fla., will install the restrooms later this winter or early in
the spring.

¥Other proposed
projects include a new restroom facility at Thomas Centennial Park--
possibly a modular one along the lines of the facility purchased for Dogwood
Park--as well as a screening wall on the north side of the park and
electrical upgrades (estimated cost $200,000); a new shelter for anglers at
the fishing pond in Coffee Creek Park plus the removal of buried concrete on
the old hill (estimated cost $75,000); a new splash pad at Dogwood Park
(estimated cost $400,000) plus new lights at the soccer field (estimated
cost $175,000); the possible relocation of the skate park on 15th Street,
along the Prairie Duneland Trail, to Dogwood Park (estimated cost $50,000);
and crack-sealing and re-paving portions of the Prairie Duneland Trail
(estimated cost $50,000).

The total estimated
cost of all proposed bond projects: $2,645,000. The total bond issue: $2
million.

Naming the Baseball
Field?

In other business,
Member Paul Shinn asked Associate Town Attorney Connor Nolan to make
inquiries about the feasibility of formally naming the baseball diamond at
Chesterton Park--located at the corner of West Porter Ave. and South Fifth
Street--Veterans Memorial Field, a name suggested by former member Vince
Emanuele.

Nolan said that he
would do so but noted, on the face of it, that the board probably does have
that authority.

Officers Elected

Meanwhile, by
unanimous votes the board elected Member Mark Dickinson president, Member
Paul Shinn vice-president, and new member Candy Tucker secretary.

Farewell, Vince;

Welcome Aboard, Candy

Shinn took a moment
at the end of the meeting to wish former member Emanuele all the best and
thank him for his nearly 20 years on the board. Emanuele elected not to seek
re-appointment at the end of his term in December. “Nineteen years of
service, that says a lot,” Shinn said.

Shinn also welcomed
aboard Emanuele’s successor, Member Tucker, who said that she’s lived in
Chesterton since 1977, works as a dental assistant for Dr. Stephen Lucas,
and is married to a long-time Street Department employee, Dave Tucker. “I
just thought it was time to give back to the community,” she said.